1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a molded body cutting apparatus, a method for cutting a ceramic molded body, and a method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body.
2. Discussion of the Background
Harm to the environment and the human body caused by particulates such as soot contained in exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engines of buses, trucks and other vehicles, construction equipment and the like has recently become a problem.
To remedy this, there has been currently proposed numerous kinds of ceramic filters using a honeycomb structured body made of porous ceramic as a filter for capturing particulates contained in exhaust gas, thereby purifying the exhaust gas.
Conventionally, when manufacturing a honeycomb structured body, for instance, first a ceramic powder, a binder, and a liquid dispersal medium are combined to prepare a wet mixture. Then the wet mixture is extrusion-molded continuously with dice, and the extrusion-molded body which has yet to be cut is then cut to a predetermined length using a molded body cutting apparatus. Thus a rectangular pillar-shaped honeycomb molded body is produced.
Next, the honeycomb molded body attained above is dried, and afterward, plugs are filled into either end of predetermined cells using the plug material layer in order to achieve a sealed state of the cells. After the sealed state has been achieved, degreasing and firing treatment is carried out thereon, thus manufacturing the honeycomb fired body.
Afterward, a sealing material paste is applied onto the side faces of the honeycomb fired body, and the honeycomb fired bodies are adhered together to manufacture an aggregate of the honeycomb fired bodies comprising a multitude of the honeycomb fired bodies being bound together by interposing a sealing material layer (the adhesive layer). Excision is then carried out on the resulting aggregate of honeycomb fired bodies using a cutting machine or the like to form a ceramic block of a predetermined shape, such as a cylindrical or cylindroid shape or the like. Finally, a sealing material paste is applied over the outer periphery of the ceramic block to form a sealing material layer (a coat layer), thereby finishing the manufacture of the honeycomb structured body.
Here disclosed as an apparatus for cutting an uncut ceramic molded body continuously extrusion-molded is an automatic cutting apparatus that supplies a receptacle underneath the molded body extruded from an extrusion-molding machine, and places the extrusion-molded body onto the receptacle and moves a cutting piece at a speed and in a direction both identical to the movement speed and movement direction of the extrusion-molded body while detecting the space between receptacles by a space detection device, to cut the extrusion-molded body in the direction perpendicular to the movement direction (see, for example, JP-A S61-241094).
The contents of JP-A S61-241094 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.